Bowling mat



April 4,1967 v D. c. CLAYTON 3,312,469

BOWLING MAT Filed May 6, 1964 FKLZ 2s A 2o 22 I6 24 26 I F IG I wzgllll lllllll IIIIIIIIl/I v INVENTOR DONA LD CCLAYTON AGENT,

United States Patent 3,312,469 BQWLING MAT Donald Carnillus Clayton, 3500 Weller Road, Wheaten, Md. 20902 Fited May 6, 1964, Ser. No. 365,442 8 Claims. (QB. 273-51) This invention relates to a protective mat for a bowling alley and more particularly to a mat which can be easily applied and removed from a bowling alley and which makes it possible for a child to enjoy the game without interfering with the enjoyment of the game by adults.

The standard bowling alley in common use is too long for use by a child and too expensive to maintain to allow children to walk on the bowling surface and to dent it by dropping of the bowling ball.

It is an object of this invention to provide a mat which can be easily applied to a standard bowling alley and which will allow a child to bowl from a position that is closer to the pins than the regulation foul line.

It is a further object to provide a mat which will protect the alley from denting by the balls which are dropped by the child.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a mat as aforesaid which will not interfere with the enjoyment of the game by adults.

A complete understanding of the invention can be had from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the bow-ling alley and protective mat.

FIG. 2 is a partial section taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section of a modified form of mat,

FIG. 4 is a section of another modification of mat.

FIG. 5 is a section of a fourth modification.

The bowling alley illustrated is a conventional alley in common use and comprises a bowling surface 2 having a support section 4 at one end for bowling or target pins to be placed in the positions shown by circles 6. At the other end of the bowling surface is a foul line 8 and adjacent the surface are gutters 9.

The bowling surface is maintained smooth for the serious bowler and comprises wood planks 10 set on end which are sanded and polished. In order to maintain the surface smooth and allow children to use the alley, a thin protective mat 12 is laid on the bowling surface to allow a child to walk closer to the pins and bowl from an artificial foul line 14 which may be painted on or otherwise aflixed to the mat. A childs hands are too small to grip a bowling ball with one hand and thus the usual stance for a child bowler is to roll the ball from a standing or stooped position while using both hands. The ball is heavy for a child and quite often the ball is dropped. However, the full force of the drop is absorbed by the mat. A good roll by a child bowlerwill cause the ball to roll down the ramp and contact the regular bowling surface without sufiicient force to dent or otherwise mar the surface. Adult bowlers who usually accompany the children can roll the ball over the mat without detracting from their enjoyment of the game.

The mat shown in FIG. 2 is made of some elastomeric material such as rubber and comprises a body portion 16 provided with ramps 18 and 19 at each end. Although an elastomeric material is preferred it is not essential since the alley can be protected by other materials.

In FIG. 3 is shown a mat similar to that of FIG. 2 in which ramp 18 in the form of a wedge is connected to the elastomeric body portion 16 by a cylindrical tongue and groove connection. The ramp can be of a synthetic plastic harder than the elastomeric material of the body which will not mar the surface of the alley. Nylon and methyl methacrylate are suitable materials. In the event it becomes necessary to replace the ramp the cylindrical tongue 20 can be easily pulled out of the cylindrical groove 22 in the body 16 and a new ramp applied by forcing the cylinder into the groove 22. A coating 24 of fabric is applied to the bottom surface of the body 16 to allow the mat to be more easily maneuvered into position and suction cavities 26 are formed in the body to aid in holding the mat in position on the alley.

In FIG. 4 is shown a mat similar to that of FIG. 3 wherein a sheet 28 of aluminum is embedded in the mat to stiffen it to thereby more nearly simulate an uncovered bowling surface. The Wedge 18 is formed with cylindrical tongue 20 provided with a groove 21 to receive the metal sheet.

In FIG. 5 is shown a mat similar to that of FIG. 2 in which the entire mat is made of elastomeric material having embedded therein a sheet 28 of aluminum.

I claim as my invention:

1. A bowling alley comprising a bowling surface, means for supporting target pins at one end of said surface, a foul line at the other end, a protective cover of a width equal to and resting on the bowling surface contigious the foul line, a planar ramp of a length several times the thickness of the cover connecting the cover with the bowling surface and a foul line affixed to the cover contiguous the ramp.

2. A bowling mat comprising a body portion having a smooth bowling surface, planar ramps of a length several times the thickness of the body portion at each end of the body portion and a foul line afiixed to the body'portion contiguous a ramp.

3. A bowling mat of elastomeric material comprising a body portion having a smooth bowling surface, planar ramps of a length several times the thickness of the body portion at each end of the body portion and a foul line aflixed to the body portion contiguous a ramp.

4. A bowling mat comprising a body portion of elastomeric material having a smooth bowling surface, planar ramps of a length several times the thickness of the body portion at each end of the body portion and a foul line afiixed to the body portion contiguous a ramp.

5. A mat as in claim 4 wherein one of the ramps comprises a wedge and means removably connecting the wedge to the body.

6. A mat as in claim 5 wherein said one ramp comprises a synthetic plastic that is harder than the elastomeric material of the body,

7. A bowling mat as in claim 4 further including a protective coating on the surface of the body portion opposite the bowling surface.

8. A bowling mat as in claim 7 further including cavity means in said body opening through said protective coating providing vacuum cups for holding the mat against slipping on a supporting surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,285,458 11/1918 Strunk 52-593 X 2,124,123 '7/ 1938 Rosengarten 273- 2,217,821 10/1940 Shiner 161-221 X 2,296,471 9/1942 Kennedy 27351 2,477,960 8/1949 Caldwell 4185 2,686,054 8/1954 Coroniti 273-51 2,862,261 12/1958 Quoss 20-64 2,933,781 4/1960 Cornell 20-64 3,143,350 8/1964 Lester 273-195 3,236,520 2/1966 Friedman 273-26 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Examiner. 

1. A BOWLING ALLEY COMPRISING A BOWLING SURFACE, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING TARGET PINS AT ONE END OF SAID SURFACE, A FOUL LINE AT THE OTHER END, A PROTECTIVE COVER OF A WIDTH EQUAL TO AND RESTING ON THE BOWLING SURFACE CONTIGIOUS THE FOUL LINE, A PLANAR RAMP OF A LENGTH SEVERAL TIMES THE 